10 Reasons Why Recruiters Dread Reading Your Resume

10 Reasons Why Recruiters Dread Reading Your Resume 10 Reasons Why Recruiters Dread Reading Your Resume Heres a fact Very few people likereading resumes especially those who read hundreds ofresumesa week. Ask any recruiter, and theyll probably tell you its one of their least favorite parts of the job.I critique and write resumes as part of my job. Ive read hundreds of them and have conducted numerous critique sessions, but Ive got nothingonrecruiters. The only bright spot in this whole process is reading a resume that doesnt give me a sharp pain between my eyes, one that is relatively sound. A resume that is outstanding now, thats awowmoment.Once you understand that recruiters are not dying to read your resume, you can focus your attention on writing one that pleasantly surprises them, one that prompts them to recommend you for an interview. To write such a resume, you must avoid making the following mistakes1. An Apathetic Approach to Writing Your ResumeDont let your apathy show in the quality of your product. You dont want a document that shouts,Im not into writing a resume because Ive got better things to do. Typos, spelling errors, and grammar mistakes will send this kind of message.When people resent writing resumes, this sentiment comes across loud and clear in the way they handle their resumes. These people often want others to write their resumes for them but thats a mistake. Your resume is your responsibility.If, for whatever reason, you simplycannotwrite your own resume, be koranvers tohire someone who will take adequate time to interview youand get to know what youve accomplished in your career.2. Your ResumeIs Tome-LengthIs your resumea five-page document consisting of every duty you have performed within the past 25-years? If so, a recruiter is going to dump it in the reject pile simply because its nearly impossible to read.I recently glanced at a resume that resembled what Ive just described. I didnt even pretend to read it. I put it down afte r two seconds. My customer nodded with understanding.3. Its Difficult to ReadMake your resume easy to read by writing short paragraphs, no mora than three or four lines apiece. Shorter paragraphs allow the reader to grasp important information easier. Im also a fan of using bold text to make words and phrases stand out.Remember that recruiters take approximately 6-10 seconds to glance at your resume to determinewhether they will read the rest of it. Thus, your resume must grab their attention quickly. Make sure they seeyouraccomplishmentsin those first 6-10 seconds or else they never will.4. It Lacks AccomplishmentsI know, youve heard this a thousand times but its worth repeating. You want to stand out from competing job seekers. Recruiters and employers like to seequantified resultsin the form of dollars, numbers, and percentages.Many people mistakenly think accomplishments should only be highlighted in the experience section or under your career highlights. One or two of your ac complishments should also be stated in your wertzuwachs profile e.g., Develop processes that improve operations, resulting in double-digit revenue growth. A statement like this is meant to grab the readers attention. This assertion must then be backed up by explicit examples and dollar amounts in the experience section.5. It Includes Clichs or Unsubstantiated Adaptive SkillsThe rule is to show rather than tell. You may be innovative but what makes you innovative? Did you develop a program for inner-city youth that promoted a cooperative environment and reduced violent crime by 50 percent? If so, state it in your profile.Recruiters and hiring managers can see fluff a mile away. Theyre turned off by words like dynamic, results-oriented, outstanding, driven, and other clichs.6. It Fails to Show Recruiters and Employers What Youll Do for ThemRecruiters and employers dont want to know what you did they want to know what youcan do.Youre probably thinking, My work history is in the past thats what I did. How do I show employers what I can do?In the field, we call it prioritizing your statements, or targeting your resume to each company to which you apply. In other words, illustrate how your qualifications and accomplishments match the employers requirements in order of importance.7. You Dont Know What Recruiters and Employers WantMany people dont take the time to dissectajob ad to discover the most important skills and experience the employer wants to see ontheirresume. If the ad is skimpy, go to the companys careers page on its website.Better yet, if you know someone at the company or know someone who knows someone at the company, callthemand ask for more info about the position. LinkedIn is a great tool for finding influential people at companies. The bottom line is that you cant write a targeted resume if you dont understand the requirements of the job.8. You Lack Keywords and PhrasesAsCareerBuilderpoints out, keywords are the skills that applicant tracking sys tems (ATS) search for to determine whetheryour resume will be read by recruitersand hiring managers.Your branding headline on your resume, much like the headline on yourLinkedIn profile, is the first place on your resume where youll utilize keywords. Then you will make sure theyre peppered throughout the rest of your resume as well.9. Your Resume Isnt Smartphone FriendlyFor you millennials, this should be no problem, as youdont go anywhere withoutyour iPhone or Android. (Im the same way, even as a boomer.)The job search is increasingly mobile, so your resume (stored in Dropbox or Google Drive) must be legible to recruiters and hiring managers when sent and received via smartphone. Recruiters and hiring managers want your resume fast, so dont disappoint them.10. You Apply for a Job for Which Youre Not QualifiedI know the urge to find a job any job is strong, but you dont want to waste the time of a recruiter, employer, and yourself by applying for jobs for which youre not qualified . You may think theres an inkling of hope that youll get an interview, but if you have only five of the 10 requirements necessary to do the job, there really is no hope.A woman in HR recently related this story to me I received a resume in a USPS photo envelope (heavy-duty mailer) certified mail. The resume is on lovely cream-colored card stock, beautifully formatted. The problem, though, is she is applying for the assistant town accountant position and for the last 10 years, she has been a dog groomer.These are but 10 faux pas you must avoid if you want to write a powerful resume that is enjoyable to read and gets you a spot in the hot seat. Once youve securedan interview, youre one step closer to a job offer.A version of this article originally appeared onThings Career Related.Bob McIntosh, CPRW, is a career trainer who leads more than 15 job search workshops at an urban career center.Master the art of closing deals and making placements. Take our Recruiter Certification Program today. Were SHRM certified. Learn at your own pace during this 12-week program. Access over 20 courses. Great for those who want to break into recruiting, or recruiters who want to further their career.